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News From Belly Button Beach

By Sandra Boynton | 28 August 2014

I have a very personal connection to Lou Gehrig’s disease: my fabulous sister Judy had it, and died ten years ago. During her illness, I was fortunate to get to know the tireless and brilliant Estess sisters and the extraordinary work of their Project A.L.S.

So in the breathtaking surge of the Ice Bucket Challenge phenomenon, I wanted to do something to honor both my sister and Project A.L.S. A hippo animation seemed most fitting. All of my hippos have always been for Judy, who loved and collected hippo things her whole life. I’m a novice at animation, but I spent a long weekend figuring out how to make my hippo speak, and then I did the narration (the Donald-Sutherland-like narrator is actually me, pitch-shifted way down) and my music partner Mike Ford did the background theme music.

I’m honored to be part of this unprecendented and exhilarating explosion of financing and awareness of ALS. Bravo, and thank you, Project A.L.S.